


As It Should Be

by Jenn0509



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Timelines, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Children, Book Spoilers, Brothers, Character Death Fix, Childbirth, Complete, F/M, Fake Character Death, Fíli & Kíli Live, Happy Ending, Magic, No Sex, Non-Canon Relationship, Psychic Abilities, Screw Destiny, Sisters, Spoilers, Temporary Character Death, Thorin Dies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-13
Updated: 2014-01-13
Packaged: 2018-01-08 14:13:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1133600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jenn0509/pseuds/Jenn0509
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Before the Battle of The Five Armies, Kíli and Tauriel marry and conceive a child. Back in Mirkwood for the birth, Tauriel is visited by a stranger from her past, changing the outcome of the Battle and tempting fate.</p><p>Short fic that runs from some undefined time after the death of Smaug, through the Battle of The Five Armies and ends shortly before the Lord of The Rings Trilogy begins.</p>
            </blockquote>





	As It Should Be

Kili winced as another scream echoed through the halls. Fili clamped a hand on his shoulder, “Brother, you must stay. A mans place is not in the birthing chamber.”

Kili felt as if his heart was in his throat, “She sounds like she is in a great deal of pain. I cannot stand it.”

“She is in pain.” Thorin said from his post, “Life is pain, and bringing life into being is no different.” He sighed, “She is strong, Kili. Tauriel will not let childbirth lead her to death.”

All eyes went to the doorway when a pinch-faced female elf appeared, hawkish eyes searching for Kili, “Sir, Tauriel has requested your presence. Follow me.”

Kili followed closely, “Is she? Has she? Has the baby been born?”

The elf clenched her teeth visibly for an instant, “Not yet.”

“Is something wrong? Is Tauriel okay?” Kili bumbled nervously.

“She is in labor with dwarf spawn. How do you think she is?” The elf snapped.

Kili shut his mouth for the rest of the trip, and was relieved when she stopped and opened up a door. Tauriel lay inside. She was sweating heavily, but smiled when she saw him, “Finally.”

He frowned, “I was just led back.”

Tauriel glared at the elves around her, “I have been asking after you for hours.”

Kili took her hand in his and sank onto the stool next to her, “I am here now, beloved.”

She gave a small laugh, “I am sorry I insisted we come here. They have been treating you poorly, have they not?”

“Nothing I cannot handle.” Kili said honestly, “Thorin has been waxing philosophically, driving us mad, the usual.”

“He did not have to come.” Tauriel whispered, brows pinched as she felt another contraction stirring.

Kili smiled at her, putting a large hand on her stomach, “Family is important to Thorin.”

Tauriel squeezed his hand tightly and cried out. Kili brushed her hair away from her face and looked on worriedly. The older female elf who seemed to be in charge peered between Tauriel’s legs and said something harshly in Sandrian. Tauriel threw her head back with a groan. “She thinks the baby is too large.” She opened her eyes and chuckled breathlessly at him, “Naturally. You never make things easy for me.”

Kili kissed the back of her hand, “I love you.”

“Love you too.” She replied, speaking in Sandrian to the midwife. The woman hissed something back and Tauriel looked as if she wanted to murder the woman. “She says I am going to push next contraction and if I do not do it to her satisfaction, she will throw you out.” They shared a gaze and she laughed again, “The doe eyes will not work on Maeve. She really will throw you out.” For an instant, she looked afraid, “I do not want to be here without you.”

“Then do your best.” Kili said, bracing himself against the bed, “I am right here.” The oldest elf muttered something in Sandrian to him, gesturing to Tauriel, but as usual, he only caught every sixth word. He knew they spoke his language, but also knew they were just being rude and intentionally speaking Sandrian. He looked to Tauriel, “What?”

Tauriel sighed, “She says you need to get on the bed behind me, to give me some support.”

From the look he was getting from ‘Maeve’, he was pretty certain that wasn’t all she said. She seemed pleased however when he climbed up onto the bed and cushioned Tauriel with his body. Eyes closed, Tauriel turned her face towards his neck and took a deep breath. Kili kissed her forehead, “Just tell me what you need me to do.”

Tauriel didn’t tell him that all she’d needed was to feel him near her, to be able to touch him. It wouldn’t have made her fellow elves happy though. They’d already spent the last hour trying to convince her that she didn’t need to raise the ‘dwarf spawn’, and that they could get rid of the dwarves. She’s been tempted to kill them both, but after she’d pulled one of her knives from her packs and left it within arms reach of the bed, they’d just taken to insulting everything about Kili.

Unlike the first contraction he’d witnessed, Tauriel couldn’t withhold screams during the next one. She tried to, to keep the guilt off of his face, but Maeve was screaming at her to push and she couldn’t follow both resolutions. In her head, she promised herself she’d apologize to Kili later, and stopped holding back the screams. Time seemed to still and speed up all at the same time. She was screaming, fingers digging into the back of Kili’s hands through several contractions, his lips against her temple in a lingering kiss, and in one moment of searing pain and pressure, their child was born.

There was silence for a few terrible seconds before the baby started to wail. Kili was instantly grinning, looking at her with the most wonderful expression of love, “You did it.”

Tauriel nodded weakly, not bothering to school the joy on her face, “You get to have the next one.”

Kili snorted, but his response was halted when Maeve handed the baby to its mother, whispering gently in Sandrian to his wife. “A boy.” Tauriel supplied, adjusting her arms around the seemingly tiny creature. Tauriel and Kili stared down at their child in awe.

He was beautiful.

When the baby’s eyes opened Kili laughed, “He has got your eyes.”

Tauriel nodded, stroking a finger reverently across the newborn’s face, “And your hair.”

Kili brushed the baby’s smooth chin, “Not all of it. It is okay, he will grow a beard one day, I am sure.”

She laughed softly, “He is half elf, I would not be so certain he will grow hair anywhere but on his head.”

“What a cute head it is.” Kili cooed.

Tauriel kissed the baby, “Aranion. That is what we decided, right?”

“It is. Do you still like it?” Kili asked, holding the both of them like they were the only things that mattered, and besides his brother, that was pretty much true.

She nodded, “I wouldn’t have agreed to it if I did not.”

“I know.” Kili said, moving from behind her to stand, “I must go tell Thorin that he has arrived.”

Tauriel nodded in understanding, but didn’t look up, too absorbed in her new son. She felt the air stir beside her. A pale hand entered her line of sight, ghosting along Aranion’s dark hair, “He’s beautiful, my Sister.”

Tauriel took a sharp breath. In all her life, she’d only ever had one sister, “Raina?”

The older elf nodded, settling gracefully onto the stool, her pale blue gown draping across the floor. She took a wet cloth and wiped Tauriel’s face gently, “You have grown since last I saw you.”

“It has been decades.” Tauriel said, staring at her older sister, whose face she had forgotten in the long years since they had last seen one another, “I had assumed you were dead.”

Raina smiled, “No, not dead. Thranduil has made sure of that.” Her eyes turned white for a moment, and she shivered, blinking her eyes back to green, “My life is a tortured one, Tauri. Yours is not. I will see to that.”

“You have never used your gift to intervene in my life before. Why start now?” Tauriel asked.

“My gift has never shown me trials you could not overcome on your own before.” Raina answered, whispering an elvish prayer over her nephew.

“What trial?”

“There will be a great battle soon.” Raina said, her voice trailing off vaguely.

“Raina.” Tauriel said sharply, “Tell me.”

“There will be a battle, and your dwarf will perish in it. His destiny ends there.” Raina said swiftly, standing and pacing to the far side of the room.

“Perish? No, he cannot leave me.” Tauriel protested.

Raina spun back around to face her, eyes dark, “Do not question me, Tauriel. I see the future, how Destiny will unfold. Right now, his ends there, at the Battle of the FIve Armies.”

“I won’t let him go then.” The red head whispered.

Raina’s gaze softened, and she approached her sister once more, “Oh, Tauri, you cannot stop him from going. Destiny does not work that way. If he does not go, then more good people will perish, killed by those who’s lives your Kili is destined to take.” She smiled, and Tauriel saw the insanity most of their family had seen in Raina, the insanity that had urged them to push her out of the clan and into Thranduil’s keeping. “That does not mean he must stay dead, however.”

Tauriel flinched away, “It takes dark magic to bring back the dead. Kili would never...”

“No magic, Sister. Herbs. Your dwarf will insist on you staying here with your new son, but if you follow, you can save him. The nephew of Thorin Oakenshield must die there though, on that battle ground. Heal the worst of his wounds, and put him into a sleep so deep all will think him dead.” Raina touched Tauriel’s shoulder, “Once word of his death has spread, and they have cast his body into the lake, go to him, revive him, and disappear.”

“Disappear?” Tauriel echoed.

Raina smiled again, but it did not chill Tauriel, though she did not know why. It was a smile of comfort, of the maternal grace that had allowed Raina to raise Legolas as if he were her own son whilst her sister and family thought her dead, “I have seen this day before.” Raina said softly, “The day you were born, I saw this day. I held you in my arms, and saw our last meeting. This meeting. Your Kili’s death hold too great a power over the future, it must happen, but a farmer and his wife would hold no consequence to anyone. You can still thrive, Tauriel, you and your dwarf. Rescue him, take him away, into the mountains, past the Shire, it matters not, only that you cannot return to our kingdom or his. So long as no one knows your true identities, Destiny gets what it wants, and my beloved sister gets to be happy.”

“And what would make you happy?” Tauriel asked, mulling over her sister’s words.

Raina sighed, “Legolas makes me happy.” Tauriel stared at her in shock, and she laughed, “I have raised him, Tauriel. Since the death of his mother, I have been the King’s consort and Legolas’ nursemaid. I watched you two play as children, from the shadows so you would not see me, and I am just as proud of him as you will one day be of your own son.”

“Why did you never show yourself to me?” Tauriel asked.

Raina kissed the back of her sister’s hand, “I am dangerous, Tauriel. My powers are uncontrolled, and unreliable. Our parents obviously thought it best for me to be sent away to protect you. After their deaths, I arranged for you to be brought here, to be looked after, but I would not insult our parents by pulling close to you once more. I was never far though, if you needed me. You have scarcely needed any help though.”

“Come with me.” Tauriel ordered, clutching her sister’s hand.

Raina shook her head, a small smile on her face, “I cannot. My place is here, with Legolas. He needs me still, and when he does not, Thranduil will need me. He is not so terrible, not the way you think. He treats you unkindly because he cannot imagine that kindness will be well received by you. You do not remember, but he too, played with you while you were a child. He has trouble dealing with you as an adult. He’s much the same with Legolas.”

“Really?” Tauriel said skeptically.

“We see through one another.” Raina explained, a blush staining her pale cheeks. “I do not see visions when in his presence, and yet I see that which he tries to hide from the outside world. I am his lover and his confidant. With one another we can be ourselves. Your relationship with the dwarf is not much different, is it?”

“You are in love with the King.” Tauriel gasped.

Raina nodded, “I must say that I am.” She stood, “I must go tend to Legolas. He has injured himself fighting spiders, and is too prideful to ask for help.” The bent and kissed Tauriel’s forehead, “I leave you now sister, for the last time. You hold your own fate in your hands.”

Raina left, and Tauriel stared down at her son, “Oh, Aranion, what are we going to do?”

Thranduil looked up when Raina entered his chambers, “Where have you been?”

She stalked towards him and placed a gentle hand upon the scarred left side of his face, kissing him gently, “I was with my sister.”

One eyebrow quirked up, “Your sister?”

“Tauriel.” Raina replied, stepping away to gather some of the herbs she kept in his rooms.

“Tauriel, the previous captain of my guard is your sister?” Thranduil asked in astonishment, while dragging his good eye over the female’s lovely form.

“She is. I thought it appropriate I visit her on the day of her son’s birth,” Raina explained. “I shall return shortly, Legolas has injured himself.”

“You coddle him.” Thranduil snapped.

Raina stared haughtily at him, “You will not win this argument, my love. Best to stop whilst you are ahead.”

“I never allowed my wife to speak to me the way you do.” Thranduil commented.

Raina scoffed, “She was your wife. You have never had the decency to wed me.” He opened his mouth to protest, but she kissed him again, “I do not fault you for that. After all, I am but a lowly Silvan elf. Seedling will grow old and die before you would wed a Silvan elf like me.”

“A Silvan elf with an incredible gift.” Thranduil commented, tracing her full lower lip with his thumb, “I cannot wed you, not yet. I cannot betray Legolas. His mother was Queen.”

Raina kissed his thumb, “I know, my King. You loved her deeply, we all did.”

As she approached the doorway, he found his voice again, “One day, perhaps I will be the man you both wanted me to be.”

Raina smiled knowingly, her back to him, “You already are.” She looked over her shoulder at him, not scared or disgusted by his disfigurement, which he could still not understand. She spoke gently, “I see all of you, my King, and still love you. Now, I’m going to go care for your son, as I always have.” 

“His mother favored you above his other nurses.” Thranduil said, a fond smile tugging at the corner of his lips. Of all the elves who had cared for his young son, he had never anticipated Raina to be his wife’s favorite. When she had been entrusted to them, Raina had hardly been more than child herself, half mad and terribly unclean. For many years, she lived in his shadow because while in his presence, she had control. The madness waned, and Raina became the only nursemaid to care for Legolas with the approval of his mother.

Raina smiled back at him, “Because I never let you tire him too much. I have the lack of restraint our Queen desired. Many a time, it was a message from her that I relayed to you with the impertinence that so intrigues you now. She was quiet, but she was strong. Legolas has her heart, and I have been honored to watch him grow to be a man she would have been proud of.” Raina left then, to tend to the boy she felt was almost her own.

Months later, she stood at her window, praying to the spirits that her sister was doing what she should, that her young nephew would not grow up without his father.

On the battlefield, Kili lay down his life in defense of his uncle.

Two weeks later, he awoke in a cave to the smiling face of his wife and the nearby gurgles of their young son. “Tauriel?”

She nodded, “I healed your wounds and brought you here. We will be safe here while you recover.”

Kili’s thoughts caught up with him. His wounds. The battle. The last he remembered was standing with Fili to protect Thorin. “What of my brother and uncle?”

Tauriel’s smile fell, “Oh, Kili, I am so sorry my love. By the time I reached you all, Thorin was gone, and Fili nearly so.”

Grief rolled over Kili, “No, they can’t be gone.”

“Now you’ve done it.” A gruff voice muttered. Fili’s face appeared near Tauriel’s in Kili’s line of sight, “I am well now, brother. Lady Tauriel had less work to do on me than she did on you. You’ve been asleep for two weeks time. I thought we’d lost you.”

Kili struggled to sit up, to embrace his older brother, but was held down by two sets of hands, “No, Kili, you must rest a few days more.” Tauriel urged, her gentle touch contrasting greatly with his brother’s vice-like grip.

He lay back, his chest tight at the thought of being alone in a world without his uncle to guide him. “Where do we go from here? Back to the mountain? Fili, you are King under the Mountain now. We must...”

Fili and Tauriel shared a nervous glance, and Fili shook his head, “We were given our funeral rites, Kili. To our people, we are dead. We cannot go back, we can only move forward. Our kin will do well by themselves. Your bride’s sister foretold our deaths, and we must honor that destiny.”

So they became new people, in a new place, far from Mirkwood and Erabor. The brothers took up blacksmithing, putting their brawn and knowledge of weapons to use, while Tauriel hunted game and healed those who came looking for help. Their home was far enough from others to ensure that they were never looked upon too closely by those who might know them by their faces. Every so often, however, Fili and Kili would take a day of rest from their smithy, and would journey the short distance to the Shire, to lay eyes on a certain Baggins of Bag End, just to remember where they had come from.

As the years passed, Aranion grew into a boy called ‘Aran’ by his watchful mother. Both tall and broad shouldered, the boy had a hunger to defend those weaker than himself, and thrived on the stories told to him by his parents and Uncle when his Auntie had gone to bed.

They were not wealthy or powerful in their new lives, but they were very, very happy.

Deep in the woods, Raina watched Legolas leave, knowing it would be a long while before they would see one another again, and that he would not be the same. Not that she would be either. One hand on her distended abdomen, she felt her child stir as it’s father drew near, and wondered just when he would ever stop trying to force Legolas to be exactly what he wanted him to be.

Thranduil entered dramatically, spewing bile about his son, dwarves, and wizards, his face contorted in rage. Raina simply let him pace for a while, watching in undisguised amusement. Once he had nearly dispelled his own anger, she placed a hand on the unmarred half of his face and kissed him, bringing one of his hands to rest where their child kicked. His whole demeanor softened, and he rested his forehead against hers, hand where she’d placed it, her presence easing his anger.

Raina smiled, her mind filling with the cries of seagulls, and visions of a grey ship sailing away, as she whispered, “And all was as it should be.”

**Author's Note:**

> I had this odd little plot running through my head after seeing The DoS, and had to write it down. I'm a sucker for Kili and Fili, and, being a book fan as well, just had to write out a somewhat happy ending.
> 
> I didn't do a whole lot of editing to this story, I just let the story come to me. Somewhere along the way, the subplot of Thranduil and Raina took over a bit, but I'm still fairly please with this little piece. That being said, I'm very open to constructive criticism on this work! I've come to feel like my one-shots are exercises that keep me up to writing my long stories, and help me try new things with my writing.
> 
> Please, comments and kudos are greatly appreciated!  
> Thanks for reading!  
> -Jenn


End file.
